hi there everybody! i'm clem (they/them), the mun of sooha @wickedblxss and DJ (aka dawson jaeyuk kim) <3 i'm so happy to be here! i haven't been in a tumblr rp in a hot second, but i feel like i still know my way around! i'm so excited to be here and i can't wait to show off my babies to you!
PLEASE LIKE THIS POST if you are interested in plotting, so i can slide into your dms! i can also plot via discord if that is what you prefer <3 i'm going to link some of dj's links below as well as talking about him briefly under the cut. tysm for having me yayayay <3
profile. background. plots. pinboard. playlist.
quick tl;dr on his background
the faded label – basically peaked at high school because he was super popular for being super smart, athletic, and charismatic in high school. didn't really get on anyone's bad side and everyone thought he was going to make it far!
got into an ivy league school and thought that high school would jsut be the beginning... but literally not even a month in, he experienced his downfall bc someone (we don't know who: could've been someone from a frat or someone who had beef with him) started spreading rumors about him and then his reputation got ruined and even the dean got involved.
though it isn't true and he provided his evidence to the dean and his parents were willing to hire a lawyer to defend his case, no one ever came forward about spreading the rumor. so dj ended up giving up and just leaving the school... and then the country to start a new life in korea
because he doesn't want to exactly go through another terrible time where his heart gets broken and his life gets ruined, he basically swore to never get close to anyone again and now he's kind of become a grouchy cold guy a.k.a the opposite of the friendly guy from america
character insp
jack dawson from titanic. he was named after the character LOL it also explains why he minors in art history and is in the art club
the titanic itself. just because it was destined for greatness but then lead to a disaster.
icarus. kinda self explanatory with that.
quick trivia
history major, (art history minor) so he's a huge history nerd! which explains his interest in the titanic as well as greek mythology.
from northern virginia! because he needed to be from a rich korean family so it just made sense. iykyk
is kind of dead inside. while he isn't really inspired or based on this character, i feel like his personality is like hank from detroit becomes human. just basically like drinking and smoking himself away whlie reminiscing the good ol' days.
keeps to himself, but he won't ignore you. he's not an asshole. if you're in need of help, he'll acknowledge you. he just doesn't want to get too close to people because he's scared of getting burned </3
some of his weaknesses are cute animals (namely cats). he also loves sketching during his free time, so you'll probably see him outside with headphones on, drawing in his sketchbook.
he's lowkey homesick even though he doesn't want to be... so if you ask him to tell stories about his old life, he'll act all melancholy. like an old man.
a day for a sweet treat
dated: november 2nd ; bake sale
those pastries look reall good @prodbyzinnia
one thing you wouldn't expect from dj is that he has a secret sweet tooth. growing up in america, halloween used to be one of his most favorite holidays because he enjoyed going trick-or-treating for the candy. even now, he remembers going to the nearby farms that held their fall festivals to have both the sweet yet familiar taste of hot apple cider in a cup before taking a bite of a warm donut with the same flavor. he thinks about biting into a caramel apple covered in hazelnuts... the flakiness of a delicious apple pie...
so naturally, when he heard that there was going to be a bake sale (and an autumn market, but he didn't really care about that) on sunday, he knew he had to walk around and scope the scene. he didn't want to get caught walking around in his costume with a bucket for trick-or-treating. as much as he did enjoy doing that a lot back in america, he was a child then and he's most definitely not a child now. at least for this, there's no specific age restrictions that will get him judged for wanting to have some autumn treats, right? right!
he's definitely overthinking this a bit. it really wouldn't have been a big deal if he did go trick-or-treating on friday. but whatever.
as he's walking around, taking a look at the stalls with all their crafts, he wonders when he'll start seeing all the good stuff... and that's when he finds it! a stall run by a girl... someone who he thinks he's seen before. even if she's in costume (at least he assumes she is?), he thinks he's seen her before... jiahn? he's pretty sure he's heard her name before whenever he showed up to an art club meeting, but nothing more besides that....
either way, that didn't matter. what did matter, however, was the display of delicious pastries in front of him, each labeled and marked with a specific price. now even though dj himself was financially well off though he'd never admit that to everyone, he begins to stare at the pastries seriously. as though choosing them was the most important decision in his life at this very moment.
shivers down your spine
with the presence of high buddy... @egoistblue
dated: saturday, november 1st.
there are only certain things that dj would do sober and going through a haunted house is not one of them.
he's been in plenty when he lived in america—walking through a corn maze and getting scare actors screaming in his face while fog blew everywhere, the atmosphere being super stuffy and the flickering lights that gave him a slight headache the more it persisted. even when he was more friendlier and full of life... he remembered looking at his friends and, with an honest smile, telling them that it was the most overstimulating experience and that he'd prefer to just go for the hot apple cider donuts and the campfire to make s'mores.
so, realistically, he would hate to be at the theatre club's haunted house... that's why he and touma went behind the school with his vape pen and took hits, inhaling and exhaling the thc... in all honesty, dj didn't really know many students in yeonhwa who were... chill like that. sure, he had yichen to thank for getting him some of his stuff, but he still felt like he had to be very... secretive about what he was smoking, given the fact that it was technically illegal. so he thought that if anyone in yeonhwa were to find out, they'd get his ass behind bars or nag at him about it. but not this guy... for some reason.
and now, the two of them were going to get ready to get into the haunted house together, trying their best to act... as normal.... as possible.
he's already made sure to check that both of their eyes were not red so that no one would suspect a thing. with the smell of pumpkin in the air and some deodorant and cologne, they were able to get rid of any obvious smells. as they are about to enter the entrance, dj steps to the side so that the other could go in first. "after you, hyung," he says with a smile that was clearly meant to be in a teasing way. "you're the oldest, so i imagine that means you'll have to be the braver one out of the two of us."
he knew he wasn't. dj was using that as an excuse so that he could point and laugh at him from behind.
october prompts: fear
trigger warnings: racism (use of "gook". mun is southeast asian.), ableism (stigmatism of mental health & illness), depression, slight mention of suicidal thoughts.
wc: 2.7k
he remembers it vividly, as though it just happened recently. he stepped out of his dorm to head to his class, making his way while surrounded by passing whispers, gasps, and giggles. with the life he had in high school, he was accustomed to being given special attention from his peers.
but this was... different. it felt different. rather than looking at him in admiration and gossiping over if he had a partner yet, he felt as though the hushed voices and side glances were directed at him. as if they attacked him in secret.
he's dealt with rumors before. he's heard a couple back when he was in virginia. but the thing about those rumors was that they were spread within a community who KNEW dawson's character. whenever someone spread something nasty about him, it'd be immediately covered with "but that's not like dawson at all." "are you sure you got the right guy?" "as if dawson kim would be capable of that."
he had people to back him up. he had a community to support him and know what he was capable of.
in the city of new york, he had... nothing.
it was supposed to be a new start for him. he was excited to meet more people, get himself into a fraternity, and bond with his brothers. he was excited to learn more about various art styles. hell, one of the classes that he was excited to learn was ANIMATION. he had never thought that what he drew on a sketchpad could suddenly be brought to life! he imagined going with his friends to the museum of modern art. he visualized sketching models, both human and inanimate objects. he saw himself potentially moving into an expensive apartment with a friend that he could've had for life. the image of him in front of his canvas in his own studio that he didn't have to rent out, an apron tied around his waist with a palette of random, mixed colors in his hand and a wet paintbrush in the other.
it didn’t take long for him to figure out what was going on and why people were talking about him. he simply had to go on yikyak (even though he was sure no one even used the app anymore) to figure out what was going on.
that's when he found it.
a post that exposed the new recruit in pike, describing a korean-american freshman who wasn't in-state. the post writes about how the original poster's cousin went to school with this kid, noting that he was popular but for all the wrong reasons: lived in mclean, the most expensive city in the county, and how he paid his way to get things that he wanted. paid off the kids that he bullied to keep their mouths shut. paid off adults and teachers to give him good marks on his tests and never tell a soul about what he did to those kids.
he scrolled down, reading more of the comments.
"jesus christ this guy sounds like a huge douche."
"he's the new pike kid? they’re rlly gonna have a bully rich kid like him in their frat?"
"ik they LOVE rich kids, but isn't this too much? i can't even imagine how their parties will go w a guy like that."
"paid off the teachers and kids? do u think he paid his way into the school too LMFAO"
"columbia just accepts anyone who thinks they're hot shit it seems."
his hand trembled as he quickly got out of the app, refusing to see any more assumptions said about him. he looked up, eyes scanning at the kids who either passed by him or the students who would point and whisper about him. he felt as though he could hear their whispers from where he stood.
"that's the kid, right? dawson kim?"
"i saw him at the pike event last week. it's most definitely him."
"what were they thinking letting a guy like him onto campus?"
"makes sense that columbia glossed over his records. you know ivy leagues prioritizes the gooks."
he turned away from them, quickly making his way to the specific lecture hall he needed to get to. whatever these people said about him... it wasn't true. he knew it wasn't true. he'd NEVER bully anyone. he was practically the nicest kid ever at mclean high. he got along well with everyone, and even when he got into relationships, he ended them on good terms. the teachers always looked at him fondly and praised him for his hard work. hell, he even had them write whole essays in his yearbook.
whoever they talked about... whoever that post was written about... it wasn't him. he KNEW that it wasn't him. maybe they mistook him for someone else! maybe it was all a miscommunication. maybe...! just maybe...!
he felt a vibration in his pocket. he looked down to see if this was all just some nightmare. yeah! perhaps, the message he'll read is of the pike group chat talking about any upcoming fundraisers or about the next party they were going to throw. he saw the president's contact information! surely this must be...!
[text from ricky] Dawson,
As the president of Pi Kappa Alpha, it deeply hurts me to send this message to a new brother. However, after consulting with the other Pike brothers and other associate presidents, I, for the sake of our community, have come to a difficult decision to remove you from our fraternity.
On rush night, you appeared as someone very welcoming and friendly. When the other members of our board met you, we were certain that you would be a great addition to our brotherhood. However, as I'm sure you are aware, there is a post being spread about you on YikYak, stating very problematic acts that you have committed.
Regardless of whether the rumors are true or not, the brothers of Pike are concerned as to how your presence will affect our reputation, both for social life and also recruitment. This is a very difficult decision for us, as I'm sure this is difficult to receive.
I wish you the best in your future endeavors, whether it be at Columbia or not.
Best,
Richard M.
President of Pi Kappa Alpha.
———
when he told his mother that he needed to come home, she was quick to send their chauffeur up to grab him from the amtrak at union station. thankfully, the driver was smart not to ask the boy about how his travels were or about how columbia was treating him. the conversation was quiet on the drive back to their mansion, excellent for him to think to himself about how he was away from the school for now...
but he was, unfortunately, not free from the attention.
he's had to deactivate all of his social media to prevent being attacked by people, whether it be students from columbia or people who didn't even have a single idea of what is going on. since he's gone home, he's mainly kept to himself and stayed at home. if he went out and someone aware of the rumors recognized him, they could ask him a whole lot of questions or even attack him. if it was someone who wasn't aware of the rumors but recognized him, then he'd have to explain how he's not at columbia right now because everyone believes he paid his way in.
either way, dj felt as though he's at a loss of ways to handle this situation.
nowadays, he's been staying at home, trying his best to calm himself down from the drama by doing his hobbies. he's exercised a lot more to get rid of the stress... he's read a lot of books to help him focus and slightly escape into another world. and, most obviously, he's drawn to find a way to vent his emotions out to the world.
though... if he had to be honest... most of his art looked awfully tragic.
before, dj enjoyed drawing things that had a semblance of life and optimism in them. he drew flowers, squirrels that'd pass by, and some of his favorite sketches are the portraits he drew of his friends. his drawings back then gave the impression that he was a happy person who enjoyed drawing the good things in his life.
but now... it isn't the same.
if he has to be honest, he hadn’t been drawing much due to his lack of motivation and muse. but in the moments where he did make art, it's melancholic. a human and their shadow that turns out to be a large beast. a human curled up in a ball in a dark corner, surrounded by nothing but darkness. his face but as though he were a porcelain doll, with only his mouth being cracked out.
life was suffocating, no matter how many distractions he had to try and get over it.
his parents were aware of the situation. when he got home, he told his mother everything while crying in her arms like a little boy. she, like a compassionate mother, rubbed his back and shushed him to assure him that everything was going to be okay. she'd tell his father and he'd find a way to come to a solution for this. "time will pass," she said to reassure him. "everything will be okay. people will forget and move on and you can go back to columbia like nothing happened."
it's not as simple as that. and he was sure she knew that, too. to this day, he's convinced she was only telling him those things to comfort him. but if anything, all it did was make him feel even more at a loss of what to do now.
so much so at a loss that he wondered... if life was worth living if he could no longer succeed in fulfilling the expectations everyone threw on him.
it's no surprise. dj himself was only motivated to get himself to be at good academic standing to please his parents. he worked hard, talked to others, and boosted his social circle so that he could get enough connections that would guarantee him success. from the beginning of middle school up until now, he had taken every step necessary to get himself on the right path. seeing it all fall apart with some rumor about his money... it felt like an insult to him. it felt like an insult to his credentials; to all his efforts working to where he needed to be... all for people to not even give him a chance to believe in him… just so they could watch him fall.
in that moment and time, there was little for dj to do. there wasn't really anything else he could do at this point, as he watched his parents talk to countless people to try and sort out the situation. lawyers, lawsuits– they communicated with programmers to see if there was a possible way to get the culprit. it was too much effort... so much work... and it was all for him.
he didn’t even know if it'll be worth it in the end. what will happen when he gets back onto campus? a lot of the people caught wind of it, so it's not exactly like he could walk around like everything was fine. but at the same time, if he didn’t go back to school, people would know there is something wrong. do the people from high school know about him? will everyone know how much of a failure he is? how he failed at his goal? how his dream was... ultimately crushed?
he'd be lying if he said such thoughts didn't haunt him.
he'd be honest if he admitted that he didn't really see much of a future for himself after this. he believed his parents could recognize it, too. the knock on the door by his mother from time to time just proved she knew that he was at his lowest point. there were times when he'd be walking downstairs to grab a cup of water, where he'd hear his parents in a conversation in the kitchen, talking about him. his mother was worried, while his father said he'd get to the bottom of this situation.
"but what if he really needs help?" he remembers his mother said from the last late-night conversation she had with him. "i've talked to some people. we can get him in contact with a psychiatrist or therapist— or maybe have him go to a hospital–"
"what? you want everyone to think that our son is a psychopath?" his father spat back. "no. hell no. imagine what the rest of the family will think. they'll think we're bad parents. that we let our son get to the point of needing psychological help and that he's mentally wrong in the head."
"but this issue might be affecting him a lot."
"we will help him get out of it. he will get out of it. but a doctor for insane people is not going to make our lives any better."
dj didn't get a cup of water that night. since that session of eavesdropping, he had tried to keep to himself. his father was right, in a sense. his reputation was already tarnished enough with the rumor. sure, his extended family and their social circles might sympathize with the situation he's in now. but if there's any record of dj going to a psych ward for this, he could imagine what they'd say. they'd spread rumors about his parents being negligent. how they were abusive and that dj was raised by people who didn't care about him. how he was bringing them down.
... how he is bringing everyone down.
how selfish of him to do that.
that's why the frat kicked him out. that's why he ran away from columbia to hide away at home. if he talked to anyone else, who's to say that he wouldn't burden their lives somehow? the people who had high opinions of him and clung onto him... the voices that told him that he was going to go far in life and that he was going to reach higher heights.
everything was falling. everything was sinking. everything was descending into the earth. greatness ended its glory for him, and after all the hard work he put in to get himself up there... there was no way he could restore that glory now.
—————
"jaeyukkie, it's been so long since i've seen you!" his grandmother said with a kind smile before glaring at her youngest son, his uncle, to grab his belongings and move them to the trunk of the car. "you've grown so much! and you're eating very well and exercising well too~" she lets out a few chuckles as she reaches up to pinch at her grandson's arms, feeling both the muscle and the littlest bit of fat in it.
he let out a small and polite laugh.
"do you understand what i'm saying?" she said in her best english, the bright and excited smile still on her face.
he nodded his head. "yes. i took korean lessons in america after church service, halmeoni."
"ohhh! that's so good to hear~" the older let out a laugh. she patted the boy's arm before turning around and motioning him to follow her into the car. "come, come! let's go to my house! i'll show you all the pictures i have of your mother i have there!"
as the woman turned her heel and started heading to the car, she failed to notice her grandson letting out a deep sigh. already, he began to feel like he had made a mistake for moving all the way here. sure, it's better than staying in america and getting harassed by all the kids on campus or having to face the old high school friends and admit that he had failed their expectations. but he's lived in america all of his life. would dawson have to live here until he graduated from university? would he have to essentially start a new life here because his life was as good as ruined back in america?
all he knew then was that his grandmother and uncle were waiting for him. so, he walked to the car, willing to pretend only to his family that he was happy to be in this country and in this situation now... even if his heart yearned for a dream that was long gone.
hello hello it's me again (i never leave this dash), but this time plots for DJ!!! which r lowkey needed bc he's got. very few threads HAHA below the cut is me going over what he's gonna be doing for the event. as mentioned on the sooha post, please like this post if you'd like to plot! and i'll make my way to yooouuu
friday:
will be partaking in the pumpkin contest so you will be seeing him ... get a pumpkin. there are plenty of opportunities that can come from that.
he won't be going trick or treating bc he'll be locked in with making this pumpkin look perfect.. so u can spam his texts to try and get him out of his room so he can go out with you.
NOOOOOWWW dj isn't usually a person who goes out but he's willing to go to the ophiuchus party just because he might as well! it's his last year! he does need to live a little.
he'll probably be at the student body gov party but he'll spend most of his time at the ophiuchus party just bc he's semi-interested on what's going on there
saturday:
HE CARVED A PUMPKIN AND HES SO PROUD OF IT! it's the titanic (i hope this isn't ai) !! there's a fake candle in it. pls compliment him about it he'll be lowkey happy to talk to u about the process of making it
did u also take part in the pumpkin carving? he'll take a look at it! and he'll probably like it!! :)
or he'll... say that there needs to be work done. but he won't exactly shoot u down. he may be an asshole but he doesn't discourage potential artists.
he could go to the haunted house!!! he isn't easily scared though so u can try ur best. if anything, if he goes with you, he'll probably go as moral support (and probably think you're embarassing as hell and he may point and laugh at you later)
sunday:
he'll 100% watch coraline so you can ensure that he'll be there. maybe you can share a blanket with him! :) fun vibes!
he'll go to the autumn market to grab a couple of things for his grandma and his mom.
he has a secret sweet tooth so you'll see him at the bake sale. if you're willing to share some bites with him, he won't say no....
additionally, u can share ur candy that u got on friday with him! maybe he'll comment on how he misses american candy.
"i've lived in a never-ending winter long enough. if you come closer, then..."
DJ KIM as... ZAYNE from LOVE AND DEEPSPACE!
in truth, there is no real motivation to why he chose this costume. he doesn't even know love and deepspace well. he knows it's a game. he's seen groups of girls in his classroom talk about it. when he goes out into the city and walks by the boba shops, he sees the big cardboard stands of some of the boys...
this man just happened to be one of them that caught his eye.
dj was a glasses user, so not having to put in contacts for the day for the spirit of the holiday seemed appropriate. he knew that if he didn't dress up, he had particular friends who would nag at him until he eventually had to partake in the holiday.
his costume was the bare minimum.. but if people pointed at him and said he wasn't dressed up, he could argue to them that he, in fact, IS wearing a halloween costume... does he know the actual material of where his costume is from? no... but it's the effort that counts, right? there wasn't really much.
if dj were to take a closer look into this character, he may be able to relate to him... but who's to say for sure? a cold man who actually has a kind heart? a human being who feels as though he lives with a curse that prevents him from opening up to others?
there’s some days when seol feels like taking out his a5 sketchbook to draw something with charcoal. somehow he’s developed an interest in it enough to sketch every once in a while. after all, charcoal as a medium is something that’s easier to him. there’s no need for accuracy or precision, instead focusing on the depths of the shadows to create an picture.
his drawings are usually still lifes; whatever his eyes sees. be it the flowers on the field, the clouds in the sky, or even benches in the park. sometimes, he’ll add the patterns that he sees if he has the colour pencils with him.
yet, it always seems as if… something is missing. seol is never satisfied with what he’s drawn, no matter how much he tries to copy what he can see. even the pile of books on the table that he attempts to bring to life in his page seems hollow, somehow.
but of course, an empty soul isn’t capable of creating such humanly things. seol can never be a artist.
tossing away his charcoal stick back into his little case, he gives a stretch to loosen his muscles up from staying in the same position for too long, and then cleaning the charcoal residue on his hands with a sanitising wipe. time to go home… or not.
“oh? fancy seeing you here, hyung~” seol flashes his usual cheeky smile at the younger boy who happened to be around. he wonders when dj would realise that he’s actually older than him. dj is hilarious and stupid, and he’s definitely going to bring up his sketchbook. it’s not everyday people gets to see a different side of seol—if anything, it’ll be less annoying if they didn’t. “what’s up? missing me already~? ♡” the usual heartless tease.
a part of him isn't sure where he'd be without art. it's the fact that he was close to consider on pursuing it as a career, only for his mother and father to both convince him that there were much more realistic and... better options for a career. and while he did see where they were coming from, knowing that they only wanted the best for their son, he still couldn't help but feel a little.. disappointed upon hearing he wouldn't be able to be as successful as an artist.
having it become more of a hobby still proved to be productive for him. even during his darkest moment in life, he was able to rely on art for comfort. and even in the past when he was happier, he still managed to make people smile or feel moved when looking at his drawings.
he tries not to think about those days so much. even when he looks at his art from back then, he not only cringes from his lack of technique and experience but also the emotions in that moment feeling so far away from him now.
that's why, when dj sees other people's art, he feels as though he is looking into a part of their soul: a chunk of themselves that they are willing to spill out, whether it be for the public to see on frames... or, in this case, a sketchbook that closes briefly after dj sneaks a glance from passing by the table. when he looks up to see who the mysterious artist is, his curious look... falls into a look of disappointment. and annoyance.
"tch. as if," he says rolling his eyes. "also, when are you going to stop calling me that? we're in the same grade. there's absolutely no way you're younger than me." and genuinely, dj meant it. he was 100% sure that both he and seol were around the same age, so he didn't exactly understand why he was dicking around and trying to convince him something else—wait! that's not even what's important here!
"i saw you were working on a sketchbook earlier," he brings up, bluntly. "i didn't think you could draw. you seemed like you'd be more of a professional at wasting other people's time and patience than expressing yourself artistically."
wyatt was adjusting the angle at which his phone sat propped on his bed. in no way was wyatt a social media influencer. most of his videos only reached people within his immediate circle, but wyatt always wondered 'what if'. what would happen if he got a couple of hundred likes? he couldn't be too careless with his public image. hence why he had to make sure he looked tall with a chill vibe.
regretfully, wyatt most certainly forgot about the image of his roommate. his gaze was too fixated on how his hair stuck out of the baseball hat he sported to notice his roommate. wyatt's phone, however, was not as absent-minded. without a care in the world, wyatt tapped the timer and adjusted the audio bit to his liking.
within the time of his recording, wyatt fell into a cycle. he danced around, lip-syncing the lyrics as he hit a pose after every line. immediately his feet would shuffle back to the side of his bed. his fingers would tap around to adjust the length of the clips. then, he would decide that he hated the take and start all over. yet, despite all of this, in every take he did not spot his roommate being filmed in the corner.
all that was heard between the two was the rustling of wyatt's track jacket fabric. every single take.
the funny thing about dj is that he met and knew many people who preferred to study with headphones on. whether something was actually playing in those headphones or if it just had noise cancellation, he heard many people recommend that small study trick to him. dj, however, felt that it would be too much. he personally liked the sound of piece in quiet in whatever space he was in. the air conditioner running, the sound of the lights buzzing... maybe muffled talks from the hallway... just being involved in the world while it's naturally quiet was enough to get him focused.
and he remained focus... until he heard the rubbing and rustling of the synthetic fabric of his roommate's track jacket. he tries his best to stay focused, but in between that, the sound of his feet shuffling across the floor, and the few quick breaths that he hears...
whatever wyatt was doing, it was starting to become a distraction....
the boy sits up, straightening his neck, and turning his head to look at what exactly his roommate was doing only to see... a phone propped up and his own roommate standing in front of the front-facing camera. and on the corner of wyatt's phone screen... was dj's own furrowed brows and confused expression over what the fuck was going on.
is... is his roommate filming a tiktok??? while his roommate is in plain sight of the camera?!?!?!
leaning against a light pole, yichen's hands are dug deep into his jacket pockets. his eyes flash both ways casually, occasionally nodding his head in a sincere manner to greet citizens who pass by. it was a bustling corner, next to a popular sushi joint and another bar across the way. hell, even a frequented convenient store with neon orange lights illuminated the street below from where it sat.
yichen's eyes lingered on that vibrant orange a long moment, tick-tock, dj, he thinks, wondering where the hell the other dude's at. it was their usual spot, as that was sometimes the easiest way to disperse weed out to his buyers (or friends, in this matter): a busy street means less people look or could catch on.
besides, there was a quick escape towards the local park if they rounded the alleyway behind the sushi joint first. clicking his tongue to the roof of his mouth, yichen glances at his phone and the time. dj's ten minutes behind, meaning he should abandon post shortly. there was no way he'd go down for weed in south korea and lose his place at the university. "c'mon, c'mon buddy... where the fuck are you?" a mutter to himself and under his breath that it's almost a whisper.
as he's about to spin on his heel, he catches a quick glimpse of dj weaving through the packed city a few paces away. remaining still at his spot, he only speaks quietly once dj can finally join him. "you're fricken late, dude. i was two seconds from walking away."
dj is not usually late to meetings. growing up, he would ensure that he was on time to his school meetings for student body, sports, and even for tutoring sessions that he held for his fellow peers. when his parents planned something, he'd make sure to be home by then so that there would be no wait for him. he liked to live an organized lifestyle, even after moving to seoul—he'd get to his classes on time, follow his agenda by the dot, and then make sure to fall asleep unless he's meeting up with someone to smoke later.
so realistically, he should've been on time to meeting with yichen. but there were obstacles along his way that prolonged his time of getting there. from getting a call from his mother that extended 30 whopping minutes because she was curious to see how he was doing and wanting to tell him all about what was going on with his family in america... he thought he had sent yichen an apology and an explanation that he'd be late.
but as he was rushing his way to their meetup point, panting from having to run past everyone and not even sparing a hello to people who recognized him... he finally meets with yichen who looks annoyed over his tardiness. ugh, this kid. dealers in america weren't this anal... but then again, maybe it's because he'd usually make it to them on time.
"sorry, i thought i sent you a text about it. i got in a call with my mom and i was really trying to end it, but she just kept going on and on," he explained in between pants before fully regaining composure, standing up straight and looking at him. "let's talk business. i brought you money and i'm expecting to see shit from you, too."
she feigns a smile at him, eyes like darts in dj's direction. "funny you should ask me to chill when you're one more word away from being chilled right here, right now." again, threatening him with the fountain. her blood is beginning to boil just looking up at him. akari doesn't take his words too seriously until he tells her that her sketch she's trying to produce looks like shit.
this prompts the woman to stand and place her sketchbook down in her spot. "i found it first, so fuck off." her eyes are awash with his and despite her being shorter, she's one moment away from grasping the collar of his shirt and doing as she promised. stepping closer into his space, she peers up at him without any hesitation under her fire now ablaze in her whiskey orbs.
"i'm warning you, dj. do not press me." that stupid little smirk he wore angers her further, as if her veins are popping with anticipation for a physical fight. akari knows dj wouldn't hurt her, but that didn't mean she couldn't make the first move.
it was actually a shame since the pair seemed to have common interests in school courses and when they'd worked on the project, initially, they got along quite easily. still, the memory of him lashing out at her for her blunt and honest feedback never left the back of her mind as she stares up at him with an eagerness to start a scene. it's finally then that she grasps dj by the collar of his shirt and yanks him down to meet her at eye level, unashamed and fully willing to shove him if necessary.
"you can say anything you want to me but you do not have the right to insist i move from my spot and then insult my work." both her eyes are fiercely in line with his, flicking back and forth with warning; as if she were a viper about to strike. "so, you? move." with an abrupt sudden movement, her hands leave his shirt and she pushes him slightly backwards, away from her spot. it wasn't enough for him to fall as he hardly budged but simply enough to hopefully show that akari meant business.
dj is certainly not stupid. he prides himself in his intelligence any moment he gets. sure, his greatest failure was having to leave his ivy league school because of the shit talking rumors he's had to endure, but he still was able to get into those universities because of his qualities! so he knows that this girl was absolutely fuming at him and, realistically, it'd be smart of him to get out of her way and let her be.
however, on top of how intelligent he is, he is also stubborn. he wants to win in situations that he didn't even have the upperhand in. and even though he's taller than her, he knows that akari's rage goes beyond her smaller height, especially when she puts her sketchbook down to stand up and glare at him. while he knows she's serious, he couldn't help but not take her seriously.
that is... until she grabs the collar of his shirt and yanking him down so he's at her height. he lets out a small yelp from the sudden move before looking at her in the eye and feeling the need to laugh in her face, seeing that she had to go that far for him to take her seriously. even when he's face-to-face with someone who could easily punch him in the face.
even if he is a bit startled, he is able to regain his douche bag composure, smirk returning to his face shortly. "jeez, akari! getting this pressed over a bench? and i thought you'd be receptive to feedback," he says, putting his hands up in defense as though he was the victim in this situation. (spoiler alert: he's not). when she lets go of him and pushes him back slightly, he looks at her with a mocking look of astonishment. "for someone so tiny, you sure have a lot of pent-up energy. what are you? anger from inside out?"
deciding to continue with annoying her, he walks to the back of the bench to take a peek at her sketchbook. "whatcha drawing?" he asks. "if you need any advice on how to make it better, i know just the person."
wonhee can't help that he's curious. curious about people, about the world; about the trends going on in the society around him; about how testosterone works wonders on a man's body and turns them into living, breathing statues of david if they apply the proper amount of effort. his curiosity is largely why he's even here at the gym in the first place. if it weren't for his friend, dj, he probably wouldn't dare show his face in an establishment like this. not only has he never been a fan of more traditional forms of exercise, but the truth is, workout centers are seldom safe places for guys like him.
as he's someone that has never been able to hide his queerness, the instant he's perceived by the other men in the weight room, he can physically feel a shift in energy; how now, they're the ones perceiving him in a way that unveils their insecurities, and well, insecurity can bring out the absolute worst in a man. whenever their minds sink into the abyss of their own fragile masculinity, their simplicity forces them to "prove" themselves. whether that be by hurling insults, making threats, becoming physical in the worst ways... it turns them into beasts.
this is something that he also knows quite well because, sadly, at the end of the day, regardless of his own experiences and how they color his world view, he, too, is just a man. he has also become a beast in certain situations, even if his outbursts and insecurities are written in a different font. it's a maddening head-space to be in. however, he's trying not to let his train of thought and internal dissection of the male species distract him from his new pal, so when he catches himself drifting inward, he snaps himself out of it; his gaze refocused on dj... specifically his arms, because of course that's where his eyes go.
sighing, he turns his sights away for a second, largely so he's not caught staring. "how often do you come and do this again?" he asks, knowing that he's been told already, but he definitely needs a reminder. "i've always been told that you should, like, give your muscles a break so they have time to heal and grow, but i guess if you work on arms, chest, and back one day, the next day, you just focus on legs, thighs, and all that, right?" wonhee feels like he's speaking a foreign language and laughs at himself.
"look, i'm sorry if i'm making you repeat yourself a lot, it's just... i'm more the type that phones it in and does some yoga at home, or like, goes on a walk around the neighborhood if i wanna be active."
yes, dj is aware that he has bad coping mechanisms. but among one of the coping mechanisms that he is proud of having, it'd be working out. dj worked hard to get the figure that he has today. with his past as a member of the football team, he knew that he had to get fit enough to make his day-to-day life in high school easy. even after high school, however, he still dedicates himself to working out because... it is a good stress relief.
while some men around him do work out often to keep up a good appearance, dj himself keeps it up just because it's a good hobby to have. not only that, but because of his bad habits of drinking and smoking, it's nice to sort of even it out by working out three to four days a week to still, in a way, live healthily. even if his life sucks because of the fact that he lost his hopes and dreams of leaving his top choice... he doesn't want to go out naturally. that's too pathetic.
when gu wonhee goes up to him, asking if he could help him get into shape, he's at first... hesitant. mainly because he himself tries to keep distance from others. but after a call with his mother recently where she's urging him to connect with others, he says yes. in a way, he gets to both work out and help someone out, so his mom can't call him out for it.
though... he wonders if he's actually helping him. because as he's lifting the weight, he hears the other ask him questions about it. it gets slightly distracting... before he does, eventually. stop himself from lifting so that he can actually aid the other. after all, it's not like wonhee's a workout buddy. if anything, he's a student. "you're good. everyone starts somewhere," he says with a sigh as he sits up off the bench, not really indicating exasperation or anything.
"to answer your question, yeah. some people dedicate a day to arms with the other being for legs, and then ending it on the full body. sometimes it goes the other way, but it really depends on the other person." he looks around them, his eyes picking up . "we can start off easy for you, though. you said you go walking around? if you go for the treadmill, it can help target your hamstrings and quads. if you elevate it, it can also help with your core so you don't have bad posture." he shrugs. "or if you wanna do arms, they also have the smaller weights. the handheld ones."
living in korea opened up new possibilities for wyatt's music taste. all his friends back home listened to country mainly. wyatt always thought the hate towards the genre was forced, though he understood the constructive criticism. he did listen to pop and rap before. not as extensively as country, but he knew a decent amount of hits.
there was this one song that really scratched his brain. wyatt found it on tiktok with a new dance challenge for him to try. he simply couldn't resist the funky synth beat! his head bopped side to side as he danced down the halls towards his dorm. his headphones buzzed loud enough for everyone to hear. wyatt hummed along as his hands reached for his keys.
the door opened, and wyatt was met with his roommate's face. "oh, hey man!" wyatt's voice was slightly raised due to the loud music playing, unknowing of his roommate's request until he sees school supplies spread across dj's bed. "oh, sorry!" he whispered, cringing at his own mistake before throwing his bag down on the ground before his torso folded onto his mattress. "yeah, no problem man. i'll be quiet." wyatt sighed, pulling out his phone to go on tiktok to watch the dance challenge again.
once again, his head began to nod along. he reached for his pillow to prop up his phone as he began to mouth the words.
he feels himself breath a sigh of relief upon seeing his roommate nod his head after cringing from his own mistake. it's slightly endearing, if dj had to be honest. but dj being honest about his feelings towards others that aren't close to him? HA! besides, it'd lowkey be kind of weird if the junior knew that dj thought he was a nice, albeit not smart, kid.
truthfully speaking, he didn't mind wyatt's company at all. he appreciated that they had a few things in common—they both came from america, so they met at iso naturally. but what dj didn't really mind about wyatt was that he simply minded his business. he didn't really get nosy into dj's life story—who he was before and what led him to be the person he is now. he doesn't comment on dj's personality being grouchy or make fun of his habits in any way.
in another universe, dj wonders if wyatt and him would be super close friends... granted, the two of them are from different worlds, in the sense of their majors: a history major and an exercise science major isn't exactly a duo you'd see often.
... either way, dj turns his head to turn his focus back onto his laptop, going through the pdf of his textbook yet again to make sure he takes the appropriate notes on his tablet. in the corner of his eye, he can see wyatt going on tiktok on his phone, keeping to himself so that he doesn't bother his roommate.
he doesn't think he'll get distracted by the other... so long as they keep in their spaces and nothing crosses it.
💭 — ( FREEFORM ) A goal or resolution that you'd like to achieve this year?
💭 — ( FREEFORM ) A goal or resolution that you'd like to achieve this year?
as cynical as it may sound, right now his main goal is to graduate since he is in his final year at yeonhwa... but who knows? maybe he can be convinced to do his masters here...
after gym session tomorrow, meet at alley behind the 7/11 to get bag of flower
pay off anyone who sees and tell them to keep it a secret because i'm not trying to go to jail in korea when everyone in america thinks i paid my way into school
listen to btr's til i forget about you in dorm while wyatt is gone
water sprouts from the fountain outside in the courtyard of the campus, akari seated neatly at the edge of it with her sketchbook. she likes to study people and wildlife on her downtime, giving her challenge to keep her lines and strokes neat on the paper. whiskey orbs flicker up from her paper to the few males before her playing some sort of game of cards at the bench not too far off in the distance.
eyes squint softly before they fall back onto the sketchbook, her hand fluid against the paper with each line. the brightness of the sun above makes it a little hard to concentrate or see, yet akari doesn't let it stop her. flicking some of her long hair back behind herself, she continues to work, brow furrowed intensely as she feels lost in the piece she's trying to create. the laughter and joy of the classmates jesting and teasing each other as they game is hopefully showcased upon the paper.
a few more fluid strokes hit the sketchbook before she notes another's presence suddenly near her. in fact, they're so close their shadow blots out the sun and overshadows the woman and her sketchbook. "you're in the way," her voice is laced with annoyance, eyes still concentrated though her pupils dilate from the shift of lighting around herself. when they don't bother to move, she waves her hand backwards, still not bothering to look up.
"can't you take a hint? i'm busy." now, there was almost a low octave hitting her tone, indicating if they didn't move akari was about to get in their face. the woman tries her best to continue on, noticing their presence is still there and now it's grated upon her nerves so much that she shoots them a death glare and takes note that it just happens to be dj.
"what the hell do you want?" her question snaps with bitterness and venom. she will still never forgive him for their group project and how it was his fault that they got a bad mark for it. if only he'd listened, she exaggerates an eyeroll in his direction. "seriously, of all people? i'm giving you thirty seconds to explain yourself and then i'm shoving you into this fountain if you continue to block my sunlight." that was a promise on her end, her pencil then taps rapidly against her sketchbook in anger from his presence just being in her vacinity.
dj himself always appreciated the outdoors. from the leaves on the trees, bringing in the vibrance of the campus to the breeze that he often feels hit his skin, regardless of the season. it's the perfect weather to sketch whatever his heart desires... the boys playing cards at the bench he walks past, the sunlight peaking through the branches... it was perfect. truly a beautiful sight.
in his four years of being at yeonhwa, he's acted grumpy and pessimistic the whole time. but the truth is that he does feel some good about the university. he's grown to appreciate the beauty after originally comparing it to columbia, internally thinking to himself about how it's not the same or how he wished he could experience being in new york again. but seoul was not a bad city after living in it for a while. and, as much as he didn't want to admit, he made some good relationships while he was here.
... speaking of good relationships, his eyes catch someone who he doesn't have one with.
akari endo is an underclassmen whom he's had the misfortune of meeting in one of their classes in the past. it doesn't help that they both minor in art history, so he has to see her more than he would want to. realistically, the two of them could be able to get along with their similar interests in art... but the one group project they worked on together where she gave him his feedback right after he got into a fight with his parents on the phone...
what turned from an accident of taking out his anger on someone who happened to be around turned into a fueled hatred between the two, though dj couldn't really care less. it's not like he came here to impress people anyway—he simply wanted to move on with his life without much attention on him. matter of fact, now was just a perfect opportunity to continue getting under the other girl's skin. so he stands in front of her, blocking her view from the sunlight that she was using to draw. seeing how she reacts brings a smirk to his lips... until she threatens to throw him in the fountain.
"jesus christ, do you ever chill?" he asks, bringing his hands up and rolling his eyes at her. "i only came here because i noticed that you were too at peace. plus..." he points at the bench. "i figured i'd take your spot anyway. your sketch is going to look like shit anyways, so i might as well save you the effort and kick you out of your spot so i can take it and make something better."
